Thursday, April 8, 2021

Global -132,700,000/2,900,000; USA – 30,700,000/556,100 Spoke with Olive Shisana and Morena Makhoana (Biovac) about setting up capability to manufacturing mRNA vaccines in South Africa. Olive claims to be the special advisor to President Cyril Ramaphosa of RSA. They want me to help to get Moderna to assist RSA in the form of Makhoana’s company Biovac to make mRNA vaccines for RSA. I taped my NAS remarks receiving their Public Welfare Medal. I spoke of my relationship with 7 Presidents including the difficult relationship with Trump. Met virtually for our regular weekly meeting with the POTUS and VPOTUS. Interesting situation. In addition Vivek was zooming from Miami and in the middle of the discussion a Peacock outside his window started making noise. What a scene. Daily cases still going up – 74.5 million yesterday: PRESS: RAI Italian TV; France 24 TV Interview New York Times (— Isabel Kershner): Israel marks Holocaust Remembrance Day with a virtual march and remarks by Dr. Fauci. Held virtually for a second year because of coronavirus restrictions, the event featured recorded remarks by two prominent figures in the battle against the coronavirus: Dr. Albert Bourla, a son of Holocaust survivors who is the chief executive of Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that, together with BioNTech, produced a leading coronavirus vaccine; and Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the leading infectious disease expert in the United States.